Comment by ButYouDisagree on A Socratic dialogue with my student · 2023-12-07T21:01:11.003Z · LW · GW

It takes $10,000,000 for the US government to save an Amerian life.

 

I'm pretty sure the right number is much, much lower. For example:

• Sommers 2016 found that Medicaid expansion saved a life for ~$600k 
• Barro 2022 found that COVID vaccines saved a life for $55k
• The EPA estimates that the Clean Air Act saved a life for $280k

I take it your $10m number is from Value of a Statistical Life. But VSL measures typical willingness to pay to avert risk to one's own life. The best-targeted interventions will be much cheaper.